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By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: The linkages between international agricultural trade and environmental sustainability are an important topic of debate at the ongoing negotiations on agriculture. There is the desire on the one hand that environmental issues be fully reflected in trade policy, but concern that they should not be used as barriers to trade.

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: Global consumption of total roundwood rose from around 2 400 million m3 in 1970 to 3 275 million m3 in 1999. Despite the sizeable growth, only about 7 percent of the production enters international trade as primary forest products reflecting the fact that over half is used for fuelwood and charcoal, most of which is used domestically. Nevertheless, global trade of primary forest products has risen substantially, reaching US$136 billion in 1999. In addition to th...

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: Trade contributes to food security in a number of ways: it augments domestic supplies to meet consumption needs; it reduces supply variability, though not necessarily price instability; it fosters economic growth; it makes efficient use of world resources; and it permits global production to take place in those regions most suited to it. Trade is of continuing importance for both developed and developing countries.

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: The Uruguay Round gave prominence to an area almost untouched by previous rounds of trade negotiations: food quality and safety. The Agreement an the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), now provide a framework for strengthening food quality and safety measures taken by governments while at the same time ensuring that such measures are not unjustified or disguised barriers to trade.

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: The TRIPS Agreement includes three items related to agriculture: geographical indications (Arts. 22-24); patent protection of agricultural chemical products (Arts. 70.8 and 70.9); and plant variety protection (Art.27.3(b)). The issues raised by Art.27.3(b) are of particular concern to FAO. The obligation of WTO Members to adopt protection to plant varieties, either by patents or by an effective sui generis system, or by any combination thereof, has important imp...

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: World production of fish currently stands at the level of 126 million tonnes, equivalent to 16.3 kg per caput. International trade of fish and fishery products reached US$52 billion in 1997-99, more than three-times that of 1980-82 (Figure 1).

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: This paper provides information on current activities of FAO in particular in relation to standard setting in the field of Biosafety. In this paper, biosafety is considered in relation to the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and agriculture. In agriculture, (including animal husbandry, fishery and forestry), the concept of biosafety involves assessing and monitoring the effects of possible gene flow, competitiveness and the effects on other o...

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: The IPPC is a multilateral treaty deposited with the Director General of FAO and administered through the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in cooperation with regional and national plant protection organizations. The purpose of the Convention is ?international cooperation in controlling pests of plants and plant products and in preventing their international spread, and especially their introduction into endangered areas? (IPPC Preamble). The IPPC cu...

By: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Nutrition Reference Publication

Excerpt: This brief presents developments in the food security situation in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Net Food-Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCs), the countries which are eligible for assistance under the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Process on the Net Food Importing Developing Countries.